Football is a global industry that provides jobs on and off the field. Players nearing the end of their careers are faced with the difficult task of what to do once they retire. Many decide to venture into management or coaching, but with the explosion of television coverage many former pros now take up roles in the media.

Jamie Carragher is one of England’s most successful players. A rare one club man, ‘Carra’ won 11 major honours in his time at Liverpool FC, including two FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League on that famous night in Istanbul. After retiring from playing in May 2013, it was announced he would join Sky Sports as a pundit – working alongside Gary Neville on a new look Monday Night Football show.

Speaking exclusively with UCFB following the talk, Carragher said: “Towards the end of my career the question was, and is for most players, do I go into coaching or punditry? I did a few of my coaching badges before I retired and I also did a bit of work for ITV at the 2012 European Championships. That was a bit of a taster of something that I wanted to do and I really enjoyed it. I knew then it was something I would go into.”

He added: “I watched a lot of the TV shows and thought this is something I could do going forward. When I joined Sky I was given a scaled down version of the screen we use on Monday Night Football and I used that over my first summer off, trying to get used to it.”

Having played under a number of elite managers, including Rafael Benitez, Gerard Houllier and Brendan Rodgers, Carragher knows a thing or two about what makes an effective coach.

Speaking of the qualities he thinks managers need in the game, Carragher said: “Players want honesty with their coach. They want to be told exactly where they stand. Man management is a massive part of that, it’s hard to keep 25-30 players happy. They have to understand that they aren’t going to play every week but it’s how you manage that situation.”